Most parsimonious areagrams versus fossils: the case of Nothofagus (Nothofagaceae)

Vicariance biogeography uses most parsimonious areagrams in order to explain biogeographic patterns. One notion is that areagrams convey biogeographic information to the extent that alternative palaeogeographic hypotheses are suggested. However, extinctions may distort biogeographic information, leading to areagrams showing area relationships not supported by geological data, and plausible dispersal events might also be overlooked. By the use of the software COMPONENT 2.0, Nothofagus phylogeny was reconciled with the most parsimonious areagrams. Well-preserved fossils, identified to subgenera, were optimised to the reconciled tree. Not all past distributions were predicted by the analysis, and Nothofagus has clearly been present in areas where it cannot have been if strict vicariance is followed. It can therefore be demonstrated that the biogeographic signal in Nothofagus areagrams is incomplete, and that most parsimonious areagrams can be flawed. Areagrams can be a useful tool in historical biogeography, but must be scrutinised within a known geological context and not accepted uncritically as alternative palaeogeographical hypotheses.

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Corrigendum to: Species delimitation, global phylogeny and historical biogeography of the parasitoid wasp genus Spathius (Braconidae: Doryctinae) reveals multiple Oligocene-Miocene intercontinental dispersal events

Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society ◽

10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa083 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 190 (3) ◽

pp. 1074-1074

Author(s):

Alejandro Zaldívar-Riverón ◽

Sergey A Belokobylskij ◽

Rubi Meza-Lázaro ◽

Carlos Pedraza-Lara ◽

Mario García-París ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Species Delimitation ◽

Parasitoid Wasp ◽

Historical Biogeography ◽

Dispersal Events

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The origin of upper Precambrian diamictites, northern Norway: a case study applicable to diamictites in general

Geologos ◽

10.1515/logos-2017-0019 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 23 (3) ◽

pp. 163-181 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Mats O. Molén

Keyword(s):

Quartz Sand ◽

Laboratory Data ◽

Gravity Flow ◽

Geological Data ◽

Submarine Fan ◽

Northern Norway ◽

Gravity Flows ◽

Material Evidence ◽

Geological Context

AbstractUpper Precambrian diamictites in Varangerfjorden (northern Norway) have been examined for evidence of origin, whether glaciogenic, gravity flow or polygenetic. Studies of geomorphology, sedimentology and surface microtextures on quartz sand grains are integrated to provide multiple pieces of evidence for the geological agents responsible for the origin of the diamictites. The documented sedimentary and erosional structures, formerly interpreted in a glaciogenic context (e.g., diamict structure, pavements and striations) have been reanalysed. Field and laboratory data demonstrate that, contrary to conclusions reached in many earlier studies, the diamictites and adjacent deposits did not originate from glaciogenic processes. Evidence from macrostructures may occasionally be equivocal or can be interpreted as representing reworked, glacially derived material. Evidence from surface microtextures, from outcrops which are believed to exhibit the most unequivocal signs for glaciation, display no imprint at all of glaciogenic processes, and a multicyclical origin of the deposits can be demonstrated. The geological context implies (and no geological data contradict this) an origin by gravity flows, possibly in a submarine fan environment. This reinterpretation of the diamictites in northern Norway may imply that the palaeoclimatological hypothesis of a deep frozen earth during parts of the Neoproterozoic has to be revised.

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Vicariance Biogeography

Ecology ◽

10.1093/obo/9780199830060-0225 ◽

2019 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ingi Agnarsson ◽

Jason Ali ◽

David S. Barrington

Keyword(s):

Continental Drift ◽

Distribution Patterns ◽

Oceanic Islands ◽

Disjunct Distribution ◽

Center Of Origin ◽

Early 21St Century ◽

Biogeographic Patterns ◽

Living Things ◽

Vicariance Biogeography ◽

The 1960S

Vicariance biogeography seeks geo-physical explanations for disjunct distributions of organisms. Optimally, vicariance hypotheses are tested on the basis of the comparison of unrelated lineages of organisms that share geographic arenas. The fundamental approach is to marry geology and biology in the study of current and historical patterns of biodiversity. As a science, vicariance biogeography grew out of a synthesis of Alfred Wegener’s continental drift as realized by the plate-tectonic mechanism, Léon Croizat’s track analyses, and Willi Hennig’s phylogenetic systematics into a discipline with more readily testable hypotheses than those from classical dispersal biogeography. Vicariance biogeography, at the time of its emergence in the mid-1960s, offered a common explanation for many of the most puzzling disjunct-distribution patterns across the globe. From the 1960s to the early 21st century, vicariance biogeography dominated the field, marginalizing inquiries into geographic distributions on the basis of dispersal explanations, in part because center-of-origin ideas had fallen into disrepute. However, with the realization that vicariance hypotheses fail to explain an array of biogeographic patterns, including both isolated biotas on oceanic islands and many groups spread over previously connected landmasses, dispersal’s role in disjunct distributions of living things has been resurrected. The current consensus is that both processes play key roles in shaping the distribution of organisms through time.

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The use of paleontology in systematics and biogeography, and a time control refinement for historical biogeography

Paleobiology ◽

10.1017/s0094837300011544 ◽

1985 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 234-243 ◽

Cited By ~ 55

Author(s):

Lance Grande

Keyword(s):

Data Base ◽

Historical Biogeography ◽

Phylogenetic Systematics ◽

Biogeographic Patterns ◽

Time Control ◽

Minimum Age ◽

Recent Species

Four main potential contributions of fossils to phylogenetic systematics and historical biogeography are (1) to provide additional taxa which (when sufficiently well preserved) can give new morphological and ontogenetic data in addition to those provided by Recent species; (2) to provide additional taxa which can increase the known biogeographic range of a taxon; (3) to help establish a minimum age for a taxon; and (4) to present fossil biotas that can be examined for biogeographic patterns not recognizable in younger (including the Recent) or older biotas.The first three points have been expressed or at least implied by other workers and are only briefly reviewed. The fourth point is proposed as a method of using fossil biotas to provide time controls to cladistic studies of historical biogeography. Previously, cladistic vicariance biogeographers have used fossil plus Recent biotas, or the Recent biota alone, for the geographic areas of study. Such investigations that lack any time control in the data base cannot effectively deal with areas that have complex histories as, for example, an earlier area of endemism in which area relationships are later complicated through the addition of exotic taxa by dispersal. By using time controls provided by fossil biotas, we may learn more about the relationships of areas with complex histories and may reveal biogeographical information that is sometimes unavailable through examination of the Recent biota.

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Biogeography without area?

Australian Systematic Botany ◽

10.1071/sb9910059 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 59 ◽

Cited By ~ 28

Author(s):

IM Henderson

Keyword(s):

Phylogenetic Relationships ◽

Historical Biogeography ◽

Biogeographic Patterns ◽

Historical Processes ◽

A Minor ◽

Insight Into ◽

Biogeographic Analysis

Recent methodological developments in historical biogeography generally treat biogeographic distribution as synonymous with occupancy of 'areas'. The aim of biogeographic analysis has been to determine the historical relationships of these areas using information from the distributions and phylogenetic relationships of animals and plants. While this may be of interest to geologists, it is of little interest to most biologists since it offers no direct insight into the historical processes that generate biogeographic patterns. Attempts to use relationships of areas (obtained from biogeographic patterns) to understand biogeographic processes can involve circularity. Focusing on relationships of areas relegates biology to a minor consideration in biogeography. This has resulted in the unfortunate dichotomy between 'ecological' and 'historical' biogeography. A biogeography of areas also limits the information potentially available from biogeographic distributions. Choice of areas for biogeographic analysis can be problematical and analysis is sensitive to this choice. Problems in identifying and analysing biogeographic areas are illustrated with trans-oceanic and local examples of austral biogeography.

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Phylogeny and Biogeography of Acaena (Rosaceae) and its Relatives: Evidence of Multiple Long-Distance Dispersal Events Across the Globe

Systematic Botany ◽

10.1600/036364421x16370109698597 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 46 (4) ◽

pp. 998-1010

Author(s):

Javier Jauregui-Lazo ◽

Daniel Potter

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

New Zealand ◽

Southern Hemisphere ◽

Phylogenetic Analyses ◽

Strong Support ◽

Disjunct Distribution ◽

Long Distance Dispersal ◽

Long Distance ◽

Biogeographic Patterns ◽

Dispersal Events

Abstract— Acaena (Rosaceae) is the most complex and ecologically variable genus in Sanguisorbinae. Although it has been the subject of several taxonomic treatments, the largest phylogenetic analysis to date only sampled a small fraction of the total global diversity (five to seven out of 45 to 50 species). This study included most of the species to elucidate the phylogenetic relationships of Acaena and biogeographic patterns in Sanguisorbinae. Phylogenetic analyses of non-coding nuclear (ITS region) and chloroplast (trnL-F) DNA sequence markers using maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses suggested that Acaena is a paraphyletic group with species of Margyricarpus and Tetraglochin nested within it. We identified strong support for eight subclades that are geographically or taxonomically structured. Nevertheless, the species-level relationships within subclades are still uncertain, which may be due to rapid diversification and lack of informative characters in the markers used. Sanguisorbinae, a primarily Southern Hemisphere clade, exhibits a classic Gondwana disjunct distribution. This current distribution is explained primarily by eight long-distance dispersal events. Our results suggested that Sanguisorbinae split into Cliffortia and Acaena around 13.6 mya. While Cliffortia diversified in southern South Africa, Acaena experienced several migration events in the Southern Hemisphere. Our estimation of the ancestral range suggested that Acaena likely originated in South Africa, followed by migration and subsequent diversification into southern South America. From there, the genus migrated to New Zealand, throughout the Andes, and to tropical areas in Central America, reaching as far north as California. Chile and New Zealand are the main sources of propagules for dispersal as well as the greatest diversity for the genus. The evolutionary relationships of species in Acaena combine a history of rapid diversifications, long-distance dispersals, and genetic variation within some taxa. Further research should be undertaken to clarify the infraspecific classification of A. magellanica.

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Paleobiogeography, paleoecology, diversity, and speciation patterns in the Eublastoidea (Blastozoa: Echinodermata)

Paleobiology ◽

10.1017/pab.2020.27 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-15

Author(s):

Jennifer E. Bauer

Keyword(s):

Evolutionary History ◽

R Package ◽

Sympatric Speciation ◽

Probabilistic Methods ◽

Global Changes ◽

Environmental Preferences ◽

Biogeographic Patterns ◽

Dispersal Events ◽

Future Work ◽

Diversity Dynamics

Abstract Understanding the distribution of taxa in space and time is key to understanding diversity dynamics. The fossil record provides an avenue to assess these patterns on vast timescales and through major global changes. The Eublastoidea were a conservatively plated Paleozoic echinoderm clade that range from the middle Silurian to the end-Permian. The geographic distribution of the eublastoids, as a whole, has been qualitatively assessed but has historically lacked a quantitative analysis. This is the first examination of the Eublastoidea using probabilistic methods within the R package BioGeoBEARS to assess macroevolutionary trends. Results provide an updated understanding of eublastoid diversity with new peaks and troughs in diversity through their evolutionary history. Lithology is examined in an evolutionary framework and does not have clear evolutionary trends, and there is much work to be done regarding environmental preferences. Biogeographic patterns do not recover precise group origins but do support the previous work that outlines Eublastoidea as a Laurentian clade. Sympatric speciation events dominant the clade's history but are likely exaggerated due to the highly combined areas. Vicariance events are rare and restricted to the Silurian and Devonian, and dispersal events are more common throughout the evolutionary history. Pathways allowing for lineage migrations are noted between southern Laurussia and China in the Devonian and Carboniferous and southern Laurussia and eastern Gondwana in the Carboniferous. Future work will include the addition of more non-Laurentian species into the estimated phylogeny to better estimate these global patterns.

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Revealing the faunal tapestry: co-evolution and historical biogeography of hosts and parasites in marine systems

Parasitology ◽

10.1017/s0031182002001841 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 124 (7) ◽

pp. 3-22 ◽

Cited By ~ 50

Author(s):

E. P. HOBERG ◽

G. J. KLASSEN

Keyword(s):

Marine Mammals ◽

Historical Biogeography ◽

Primary Role ◽

General Observation ◽

Geographic Ranges ◽

Marine Systems ◽

Biogeographic Patterns ◽

Comprehensive Picture ◽

Faunal Diversity ◽

Host Parasite

Parasites are integral components of marine ecosystems, a general observation accepted by parasitologists, but often considered of trifling significance to the broader community of zoologists. Parasites, however, represent elegant tools to explore the origins, distribution and maintenance of biodiversity. Among these diverse assemblages, host and geographic ranges described by various helminths are structured and historically constrained by genealogical and ecological associations that can be revealed and evaluated using phylogenetic methodologies within the context of frameworks and hypotheses for co-evolution and historical biogeography. Despite over 200 years of sporadic investigations of helminth systematics, knowledge of parasite faunal diversity in chondrichthyan and osteichthyan fishes, seabirds and marine mammals remains to be distilled into a coherent and comprehensive picture that can be assessed using phylogenetic approaches. Phylogenetic studies among complex host–parasite assemblages that encompass varying temporal and geographic scales are the critical context for elucidating biodiversity and faunal structure, and for identifying historical and contemporary determinants of ecological organization and biogeographic patterns across the marine biosphere. Insights from phylogenetic inference indicate (1) the great age of marine parasite faunas; (2) a significant role for colonization in diversification across a taxonomic continuum at deep and relatively recent temporal scales; and (3) a primary role for allopatric speciation. Integration of ecological and phylogenetic knowledge from the study of parasites is synergistic, contributing substantial insights into the history and maintenance of marine systems.

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Species delimitation, global phylogeny and historical biogeography of the parasitoid wasp genus Spathius (Braconidae: Doryctinae) reveal multiple Oligocene–Miocene intercontinental dispersal events

Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society ◽

10.1093/zoolinnean/zlx050 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 182 (4) ◽

pp. 723-734 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Alejandro Zaldívar-Riverón ◽

Sergey A Belokobylskij ◽

Rubi Meza-Lázaro ◽

Carlos Pedraza-Lara ◽

Mario García-París ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Parasitoid Wasp ◽

Historical Biogeography ◽

Worldwide Distribution ◽

Phylogenetic Studies ◽

Mtdna Sequence ◽

Ancestral Area Reconstruction ◽

History Of ◽

Species Groups ◽

Ethiopian Region ◽

Dispersal Events

Abstract Phylogenetic studies of globally distributed taxa are crucial to estimate the mode and tempo of common intercontinental biogeographic processes. However, few of these studies have focused on invertebrates, mainly because their taxonomy and species richness generally are highly neglected. Here we performed a morphological and mtDNA sequence-based species delineation analysis for 111 specimens of the cosmopolitan, speciose parasitoid wasp genus Spathius (Braconidae) and assessed its phylogenetic relationships and historical biogeography adding two nuclear markers. Seventy-one species of Spathius were delimited. Neither the monophyly of Spathiini, Spathius, nor its species groups were recovered. Based on the relaxed molecular clock and ancestral area reconstruction analyses, the Oriental appears as the most plausible region of origin for Spathius, whereas various intercontinental dispersal events probably played an important role in its species diversification. At least three and two dispersal events from the Oriental to the Ethiopian and Australian regions, respectively, were estimated to occur during the late Oligocene to mid-Miocene, c. 25–15 Mya. Dispersal to the Palaearctic and Nearctic from the Ethiopian region probably occurred during the early Miocene, c. 20 Mya. Our results overall reflect that the worldwide distribution of Spathius was acquired early in the evolutionary history of the lineage.

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